


Too many boys

by theWholeShebang



Series: Alfea Tales [1]
Category: Fate: The Winx Saga (TV)
Genre: Bonding, Fluff, Found Family, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29463393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theWholeShebang/pseuds/theWholeShebang
Summary: Farah watched in horror as Terra started sobbing. This is why young children made her uncomfortable, their emotions and thoughts were so erratic.Terra wanted a mum and all she got was loads of boys and Farah.
Relationships: Farah Dowling & Terra Harvey
Series: Alfea Tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188914
Comments: 22
Kudos: 122





	Too many boys

Her office door opened and closed. It took Farah a second to notice the person standing in her doorway. It seemed like no one had come in. Then she looked down and there stood a young girl. Two pigtails. Blue dungarees. Streaks of mud on her face. 

Farah smiled. ‘Hi Terra.’

Terra walked over to Farah’s desk and hoisted herself on the big chair. 

Farah had never been much involved with the kids. Ben and Saul were excellent parents and she had a school to run. Of course she bought them gifts and they had Sunday dinners together, but still, Farah liked kids a little older. So she was totally fine with the men taking care of the kids.  
Lately though, Terra had taken quite a liking to Farah as she had noticed that they were the only girls and often she would come to Farah’s office to talk.  
Or rather rant.  
Farah waited patiently for Terra to start her stream of words as her eyes still skimmed the letter from queen Luna. She was actually quite happy with the distraction. The subtle art of flattery and diplomacy was the least favourite part of her job. 

‘There are too many boys.’, Terra stated. 

Farah had to hide a smile. This had been a hot topic for Terra in the last few weeks. It seemed the girl took it personal that Sky and Sam were guys. 

Terra was watching her with big eyes, waiting for Farah to respond. 

Farah cleared her throat. This was why she did not like small children, she had not mastered the art of talking with them. She usually just talked to them like they were normal people, but Terra was only six. 

‘Don’t you agree?’

‘Well,’ started Farah reasonably. ‘It depends on what you mean with too many.’

Terra’s brow knitted in confusion. 

Farah continued. ‘If you say there are too many, you are implying that there should be less. Would you like one of the boys to go?’ 

Terra was listening intently as Farah continued. She really liked this kind of challenging talk but the headmistress was not sure if Terra could follow. 

‘Who should leave then? Surely not your father or uncle Saul? And who would you play with if Sky and Sam were gone?’

Terra seemed to mull this over and for one terrifying second Farah was afraid that  
Terra would declare that Sam or Sky could leave for her part and that she did not care for them. But the girl was kind-spirited. 

‘I don’t want anyone to go.’, she said softly. 

‘Ok.’, nodded Farah. Secretly glad that she had managed to turn this conversation into something so civil. ‘If you don’t want anyone to go, maybe there aren’t too many boys then? As you like all of them?’

Terra frowned at her, her lips pouting. Farah’s heart made a little leap, Terra looked really cute. Then Terra’s face lit up with a triumphant smile. 

‘Maybe…’, she started. ‘Maybe there are not enough girls!’

Farah laughed. She was impressed by the young girl’s rhetorical power. 

‘You might be right, but where would we find another girl?’, she thought along, eyes twinkling. She was enjoying this thought experiment. 

Suddenly tears were spilling from Terra’s eyes. 

‘I want mum to come back.’

Farah watched in horror as Terra started sobbing. This is why young children made her uncomfortable, their emotions and thoughts were so erratic. 

For the first time since Terra entered her office Farah was truly lost for words. What could she say to comfort the girl? Rose had passed away less than a year ago. The woman not more than a distant memory in Terra’s head but vibrant enough to miss her still.

Terra wanted a mum and all she got was loads of boys and Farah. 

Pushing away her instinct to call for Ben, Farah patted her knee and motioned for the girl to climb on her lap. 

Almost immediately Terra leaped into Farah’s embrace. Clinging onto her like a little monkey. Farah sat still, not sure what to do next. 

She was so much better with teenagers. She was so much better as a teacher. She liked helping her students. She liked to come to solutions with them. Talk their problems through and explore their options.  
Kids did not want all that. Kids just wanted endless love and comfort. 

And Farah was not a natural at it. 

She rubbed Terra’s back as grubby little hands tugged at her. 

Terra’s problem did not really have a clear solution. Because, yes, there were too many boys. Yes, Rose really was gone. All she got was a dad with a lot on his plate and an older brother and cousin who more often than not, did not include her in their games. 

So, she just sat there with Terra in her lap. Often she had watched Saul and Ben comfort their children. It was just a matter of being there for them. And surely, Terra’s tears stopped as suddenly as they had come. 

She kept hugging Farah though and Farah looked at the girl a little apprehensively, not wanting to do anything that might cause the tears to return. 

Terra’s hand combed through the ends of Farah’s hair that had come loose from her bun. 

‘You are a girl.’, she noted very confidently. 

‘I am.’, agreed Farah, a little amused. 

‘We should do girl things together.’

Farah hummed noncommittally. ‘What are girl things?’

This question threw Terra off the loop. Her lips pouting as she thought this over. ‘Girl things are things that girls can do together…’, she started her train of thoughts. 

Farah nodded in agreement, that was some strong reasoning she could not fault. 

‘And girl things, can’t be done by boys?’, she questioned, just to make sure. 

Terra shook her head confidently. ‘No, only girls can do it.’

Farah nodded, her hand rubbing Terra’s back. ‘So for example, if you and I would walk into town and get an ice cream at Gullivans, that would be a girl’s thing? Or would it be a boy thing too because Gullivan is a boy?’

She had to stop herself from laughing as she could literally see the radars in Terra’s head turning as the girl thought of a way to defend that getting ice cream could work as a girl’s thing. 

‘I think’, started Terra slowly, as if she was not the one making the rules. ‘That it would still count because we would walk there together and then it is only girls. It is something we would do together as girls and that is what counts.’

Farah was a little impressed by Terra’s sound reasoning but could not help teasing the young girl. 

‘By that logic, we could also just go for a walk. Just us. Together. The ice cream is not necessary. Then it would still be a girls thing.’

Terra was silent. She was clearly going over Farah’s words. Looking for a loophole. 

Finally she gave up with a little sigh. 

‘I suppose you are right. A walk is still a girl’s thing.’

Farah laughed as she pressed a kiss on Terra’s temple. 

‘Just messing with you, sweetheart.’, she said as she stood from her chair. ‘Let’s get you an ice cream.’

Terra’s face lit up. ‘Really?’

Farah held out her hand for the girl to grab. Trying to ignore how good it felt when the small hand settled in hers. 

‘Really. Us girls have to stick together, don’t we?’

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


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